Published By Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
Landlord/Tenant Relations don’t have to be one sided.
Most of the people who take advantage of a prepaid legal services benefit do so in matters regarding property. This includes estates and transactions involving the purchase or sale of a home. However, this type of benefit also helps protect a person’s rights in other matters and the rights of a tenant are very important in New York.
It isn’t fair to say that all landlords are unreasonable and greedy. Many respect the needs of tenants and will make necessary repairs and have rental terms that are honest. Regrettably, there are a few who will ignore their obligations and think that the rental agreement protects them against any actions made by an aggrieved tenant. The state of New York has specified what rights a tenant has under the law. The challenge comes not only in understanding the statutes, but knowing how to process a grievance properly. Terms such as lease succession rights or warranty of habitability can be quite bewildering to someone not familiar with legal terminology. Not understanding protection against retaliation can intimidate a tenant and the possibility of eviction can definitely be frightening. Disputes with a landlord may require legal assistance that could be outside a person’s financial ability.
Any employer in New York that has employees who are renters should have more than just a passing concern. Disputes with a landlord are a major cause of presenteeism (an employee who is present at a workstation but completely preoccupied with external problems) and this does have an impact on productivity.
A prepaid legal services plan can significantly reduce the legal expenses incurred by a tenant. Such a benefit can empower an employee to exercise his or her rights under New York’s tenant laws without fear of any retaliation. It sometimes happens that the mere threat of litigation can force a landlord to abide by the lease or make necessary improvements. Knowing that, anyone covered by a prepaid legal services plan can warn a negligent landlord of the possibility of a lawsuit.
Nobody should have to be at the mercy of an unreasonable or incompetent landlord. Companies that offer legal benefits help those employees who are tenants protect their rights and improve their living conditions. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services has worked with quite a few employers in New York. Prepaid legal services can be offered for any company or organization, no matter what size. Because employers are different and the workforce of each may have special needs, Countrywide has no problem at all tailoring a plan to best suit the wishes of a client.
The result is a highly appreciated benefit that not just renters, but other employees as well can enjoy. Renters dream of the day when they can own their own property and being a tenant is not always a permanent situation. However, if an employee is a renter there is no reason why he or she also has to be a victim. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services can provide a plan of legal services which can help safeguard tenant rights.